Ernest Hemmingway's .38-44!

Modified · Apr 1, 2024

Didn't get any guns in all of 2023, which was sad. But boy did I break that dry streak in a big way.

I don't have a lot of time to go into details. Have to drive a kid to swimming lessons, but I snapped a couple pictures. I'll have more details later. But I'm sure such a famous gun is already well known by anyone who has perused old photos of Hemmingway shooting the gun, I'll find them later as I can.

Frieda's Boss · Apr 1, 2024

Beautiful, can't wait to hear more about it!

Alk8944 · Apr 1, 2024

What do you have to prove the provenance of that revolver? It would be interesting if you would tell us. I wonder what the barrel length was before it was cut! I will bet it was a 6 1/2" Do you intend to letter it? That is one I think I would.

It must be an early OD with the single line address!

paplinker · Apr 1, 2024

Looking forward to the story on this one!!

THREEDFLYER · Apr 1, 2024

Great find Caleb, can't wait to hear the story!!!

Sam McCord · Apr 1, 2024

Great find! We need more information and more pictures!

6string · Apr 1, 2024

THAT is very cool!!

I can't wait to see more pics, especially of the work done to it!

But weren't you worried that the shortened barrel would detract from the collector's value?? .....

CajunBass · Apr 2, 2024

You have my attention. More details at your convience please.

mtgianni · Apr 2, 2024

Curious as if it came through Jack or otherwise has a Montana connection.

handejector · Apr 2, 2024

Alk8944 said:
I will bet it was a 6 1/2"

Almost certainly. It is a Pre-War gun.
Ernie an some buddies were probably drinkin one night and shootin cigarettes out of each other's mouths when one of em said "This long barrel wobbles too much!".
Out came Ernie's hack saw an the rest is history.....

Modified · Apr 2, 2024

handejector said:
Almost certainly. It is a Pre-War gun.
Ernie an some buddies were probably drinkin one night and shootin cigarettes out of each other's mouths when one of em said "This long barrel wobbles too much!".
Out came Ernie's hack saw an the rest is history.....

You've read the correspondence about the gun that Hemingway wrote on April first too I see! I knew others knew about this gun!

I'll try to get detailed pictures and explain a bit more as soon as I have a bit of time.

handejector · Apr 2, 2024

Nope. I jus know what a drunk an an idiot he could be.

kwill1911 · Apr 2, 2024

Hemingway's Guns, The Sporting Arms of Ernest Hemingway, by Calabi, Helsley and Sanger, 2nd Edition does not have any specifics about this gun. However, they say, "...there are enough mentions of a .38 in the Hemingway literature to credit him with owning one." It is a good book about most of the guns Hemingway owned and used.

kwill1911 · Apr 2, 2024

I checked a couple of other sources with no luck:

"Hemingway's Guns," by Frank Miniter, American Rifleman, March 2017.

"On the Trail of Papa's Colt," by Horace Greeley, IV, Guns, May 1981.

quinn · Apr 2, 2024

Hemingway and a Tasmanian rancher in the same thread. Ain't this forum wonderful?

Modified · Apr 2, 2024

Ok, since it is April *Second* now, I'll fess up; It's not Ernie's gun (that I know of).

It's just a glorious Outdoorsman that a good friend kept the stags from (I wanted the pre-war magnas I had lurking in my drawer on it), and passed along a fabulous deal to me.

The story he got was that the owner wanted a .357 Magnum but couldn't get one, so had this cut to produce effectively the same thing. I don't think it's reamed for .357 though, I need to dig out some bullets and verify.

It has a rather fun Serial # 44446:

A not hacksaw crown:

And miracle of miracles, the front sight was put on straight!

And I think? Although I don't recall looking at rear sight blades on these close enough, that the rear sight blade may have been rounded? Or were they just like that? I could use an answer on that;

And of course, peak boomer engraving:

Which is in a place that doesn't bug me, particularly because the gun was a mere five bills to me. Plus, with the social on there we know that R.G. Quayle was from Maine. I don't have time (or access) to the proper records to sort out who this guy was, but when I have more time I'll dig.

Maybe if Mike Helms sees this he will do a little diggin'

My apologies for the April Fool's joke. I figured with my limited time, and the fact that I actually *got* the gun on April Fools Day...I had to do something.

kwill1911 · Apr 2, 2024

Well played! It dawned on me after I went digging and posted. I was flying my drone around snooping on neighbors and it hit me.

lestert357 · Apr 2, 2024

Could be R. G. "Dan" Quayle.

CH4 · Apr 2, 2024

Looks like Papa had a hacksaw and a few beers.

Still a cool piece!

Truckman · Apr 2, 2024

kwill1911 said:
Well played! It dawned on me after I went digging and posted. I was flying my drone around snooping on neighbors and it hit me.

I was busy updating the rangefinders on my rooftop AAA, and got here too late to be fooled...

...Ben

Ernest Hemmingway's .38-44!

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